Special education cooperative to host Back to School Bash in Streator

The La Salle/Putnam Educational Alliance for Special Education will host a Back to School Bash for students with disabilities and their families from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at Streator City Park. The event will provide free food, games, activities and resources for families.

Multiple businesses and agencies will have informational tables at the event. Parents and guardians can learn about opportunities and programs available for children with special needs. Some of the organizations in attendance will include the Streator Public Library, the Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley, the Arukah Institute of Healing, the YMCA, the Illinois Department of Human Services, the University of Illinois Extension, the Tri-County Opportunities Council, North Central Behavioral Health Systems, Streator Unlimited and Birth to Five Illinois, among others.

“We are working hard to build positive relationships in our communities and with parents,” said Melissa Shinnick, a special education coordinator for LEASE who is a member of the organization’s Community Partnership Committee.

The event is intended to double as a resource for families and a fun back-to-school celebration for students.

“This offers a social opportunity for students with disabilities that they may not otherwise get,” Shinnick said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with disabilities and special needs can face multiple barriers to social participation with their peers, including communication struggles, physical inaccessibility, stigma or prejudice and lack of effective programming. The Back to School Bash will include sensory activities and games designed to be inclusive and provide social opportunities.

The event travels to a different community each year in Putnam and La Salle counties as part of its community outreach and relationship-building efforts across the region. For more information about LEASE, visit www.lease-sped.org.